Burnt
by Catsrawesome
Summary: Sorcery in the kingdom of Olympus is dangerous. But it never seemed that way for Harley and Leo. But when Leo goes too far and almost kills Harley, he vows never to use magic again. Harley never knew why his brother suddenly shut him out until Leo looses control once again and runs away. Will Harley be able to find Leo and save Olympus from becoming ash? A HOO Version of Frozen.
1. Prologue

**I just thought of this last night and HAD to write this down! I WILL UPDATE MY OTHER STORIES! **

**So, I will be using Frozen songs and I will change them to fit with the theme. However, there was no need to change 'Frozen Heart', so I didn't. I will change 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman' in the next few chapters.**

**So, enjoy the prologue!**

The clopping sound of approaching hoof beat broke the silent night, each step like a hammer persistently trying to hammer in a nail. The two horses' labored breathing were the only accompaniment to the rhythmic noise. The seven riders, however, were as still and silent as the crisp mountain air.

The cart the horses were pulling bumped gently along the icy path, but it didn't faze the seven riders. The riders themselves were six children and one adult chaperone. The man was silently snoring, the rocking of the cart like a lullaby. The other passengers, however, couldn't have been less tired. Every now and then, one of them would occasionally glance out the window. Suddenly, one of the children stood in his seat and pressed his head to the glass, much to the annoyance to the other kids. This seven year old boy had ruffled, jet-black hair that quite stood out against the white and blue of the outside. His sea green eyes gazed back at him, showing excitement and impatience.

"Percy!" exclaimed one of the girls, a blonde with stormy grey eyes. "Get down from there! I want to see!"

Percy completely ignored her, much to the girl's displeasure.

"Annabeth, you know he isn't going to get down," said a blonde boy with brilliant blue eyes. If he was at all irked by Percy's behavior, he didn't show it.

"But don't you want to see?" argued Annabeth.

"We all want to see," said a pretty girl with messy chocolate colored hair and unique eyes that constantly changed color. She, like the blonde boy, was also hiding her impatience.

"But Jason has a point. Just let Percy have his turn."

"You know he won't get down anytime soon!" huffed Annabeth, crossing her arms.

"Annabeth, why don't you read a book?" asked a girl with dark skin and golden eyes. "I have your favorite right here!"

The girl held up a thick novel that had to be at least a thousand pages. Annabeth's stormy eyes lit up for a moment like the clouds in their depths had just flashed lightning, and then she once again turned her attention to Percy. "No thanks, Hazel."

"Ok, I'll give it to Frank."

She turned to give the book to Frank, a chubby little boy with a buzz cut hair style. But taking the book was out of the question for him, for he too was snoring with his head limp against the wall. Hazel tried to shake him awake, but he stayed defiantly unconscious.

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Annabeth suddenly shouted.

The children jumped. The loud voice of the eight year old also managed to wake up not only Frank, but also the adult.

"DIE!" he shouted, flinging his arms everywhere in a vain attempt to hit something in his mind's eye.

The children, of course, were terrified, and they all tried to get as far away as possible. Likewise, Percy scrambled from his spot in front of the window to sit next to Annabeth.

"Go away!" Annabeth protested.

Percy didn't listen, and Annabeth began to wonder if he was becoming deaf.

"Cupcakes," began the adult as he stood up in his chair. For any normal man, rising from his chair would have been nearly impossible, but there was a fine distance between the floor and the man's curly head, for he was quite short. "What did I tell you about waking me up?"

"Sorry, Mr. Hedge," five voices chorused, looking down at their feet.

"Sorry, Coach," said Percy, his head likewise held down.

If Percy hadn't spoken the tiniest bit late, he wouldn't have been heard. Unfortunately for him, it was.

"What did you say, Cupcake?" demanded Hedge.

"Nothing, sir." Percy's voice suddenly seemed very small.

Hedge gave a satisfied grunt, and then looked out the window. This time, Annabeth held her ground.

"We're here," he said, grabbing his club from the seat next to him.

It took a few seconds for the children to process these words, but when they did they all started to push each other to get outside. It was a miracle that no one got trampled. Soon, they were all out before the cart had even stopped.

The children gazed awestruck at their surroundings. They were at a small, circular pond. Pine trees surrounded them from all sides, except for the path they just came in. The sun was just rising from the east, casting light in the woods. The ice and snow seemed to glow orange, like it was on fire. It was beautiful.

The children rushed to get their tools from the back of the truck. This had been the dream that brought the six of them together. Even since they were toddlers, the miners at this very pond had fascinated them. This had been what they wanted to do with their life, and still did.

There were already a few miners here, but they had yet to begin. They had just taken out their saws, and the kids held their pickaxes and waited with the same impatience they shared in the cart. Suddenly, the first miner took his saw and plunged it into the ice with a great _crunch!_ The kids watched with fascination. Soon, the other miners joined in, creating a rhythmic sound almost like music. The miners began to sing in sync.

_Born of cold and winter air_  
><em> and mountain rain combining.<em>  
><em> This icy force both foul and fair<em>  
><em> has a frozen heart worth mining.<em>

_So cut through the heart, cold and clear._  
><em> Strike for love and strike for fear.<em>  
><em> See the beauty, sharp and sheer<em>  
><em> Split the ice apart<em>  
><em> And break the frozen heart<em>

They started to use grabbers to pull the chopped ice out of the water, and the children took this as their cue to join in. Luckily, there were plenty of smaller cubes that they could probably be able to grab. But the ice was slippery, and the little friction they had made the job almost impossible for them. But they weren't discouraged. They seemed to be having the time of their life. They joined in on the singing.

_Hup! Ho!_  
><em> Watch your step!<em>  
><em> Let it go!<em>

_Hup! Ho!_  
><em> Watch your step!<em>  
><em> Let it go!<em>

**Percy:**_ Beautiful!_

**Jason:**_ Powerful!_

**Piper**_ Dangerous!_

**Annabeth:**_ Cold!_

**Children:**_ Ice has a magic, __can't be controlled._

**Hazel:**_ Stronger than one_

**Frank:**_ S__tronger than ten_

**Children:**_ Stronger than a hundred men! Ho!_

By now, the sun was beginning to set. The entire day passed quickly for the children. Lamps were being lit all around them, but they kids didn't turn away from their work. The men were still singing the song as they worked.

_Born of cold and winter air_  
><em> and mountain rain combining.<em>  
><em> This icy force both foul and fair<em>  
><em> has a frozen heart worth mining.<em>

With a great heave, Percy managed to hoist his cube out of the water. He looked extremely pleased. The other kids were shocked, Annabeth most of all. They once again tried to grab the slippery ice cubes as Percy ran over to grab the sled.

_Cut through the heart, cold and clear._  
><em> Strike for love and strike for fear.<em>  
><em> There's beauty and there's danger here<em>  
><em> Split the ice apart<em>  
><em> Beware the frozen heart...<em>

By now, the miners had finished their work and just finished loading up their carts with slabs of ice. Hedge himself had gotten himself a handsome amount and got into his own cart. Without thinking, he flicked the reins of the two horses and forgot the children.

"Wait!" yelled Hazel.

But before they knew it, he was gone.

"That's just great," mumbled Frank.

"He wasn't really our dad, was he?" said Piper, "Why would he care?"

The kids all felt miserable.

"Hey, look at the positive side!" said Percy. "We can stay here as long as we want and mine more ice!"

"How did you get the piece out anyway?" asked Jason.

Percy smiled mischievously, and Annabeth gasped.

"You didn't use-"

"Yeah, just a little," admitted Percy, "Just to get it out of the water."

"You _know _sorcery is forbidden!" exclaimed Annabeth.

"Well, we can't help that, can we?" countered Percy.

Annabeth looked ready to explode, so Piper wisely ran in between them.

"Calm down, guys."

The effect was instantaneous. Annabeth's shoulders stopped shaking from anger, and Percy looked much more relaxed.

"We need to think of a plan," said Jason.

"I'll get right on it," said Annabeth, sitting down to think.

The other children joined her, forming a small circle.

Truthfully, this had been the other reason they had become so close. People born with power were rare, and often dangerous. That must have been the reason their parents had abandoned them when they were babies. The kids didn't mind all the time, but sometimes they did wish they had someone to confide in. So when they met each other, they were overjoyed. They finally had people who understood them.

In their own little world, they were on their own. They were the only people with magic in the entire kingdom of Olympus.

Or so they thought.

**I hoped you liked it! Not sure if I should put this as a Frozen crossover yet, so please review and give me advice! You are awesome!**

**Catsrawesome**


	2. No Two Closer Brothers

**Hey everyone! Shout out to Caleo4eva and awesometacos for reviewing! Caleo4eva, this is actually my second AU story. My first is Siblings in Every Way but Blood. Please check it out if you get the chance!**

**This might be my longest chapter EVER! You will finally get to see Harley and Leo! I hope you enjoy!**

Not a soul was stirring in the kingdom of Olympus. Even the birds, who normally were the first to rise out of their nests and let their music be the first sounds of the day, were curled up in their slumber. A glorious sunrise coated the tiny houses in golden light, along with the castle itself.

A few brave rays managed to creep themselves through the window looking out the highest room in the castle, where a seven year old boy was peacefully sleeping. His curly hair was partially covering his eyes, and the comfortably warm blankets he was draped in disguised his thin and rather scrawny form. His dreams were as varied as the weather, filled with the banging of a hammer, or maybe the crackling of a warm fire on a winter's day, or maybe a simple game of tag with his younger brother, Harley. The boy smiled in his sleep. However, he wouldn't be asleep for long.

"Leo!"

An excited voice sliced through the blanket of silence like a knife, and the owner of the voice managed to rise up high enough on his toes to see the sleeping form of his older brother. He looked a lot like his brother, with brown curly hair and a thin build, but his eyes were bright green like a sunlit meadow, unlike his brothers eyes, which (although you wouldn't be able to see them, for they were shut tight) were a light brown.

The younger boy managed to haul himself onto Leo's bed, and started to shake him up.

"Leo! Wake up! Let's play!" the five year old boy exclaimed, trying his best to keep his volume at a minimum.

"Harley, go back to sleep," groaned Leo without opening his eyes, grabbing a second pillow and placing it over his exposed ear.

"I just can't!" explained Harley, flopping on top of Leo, who muttered a faint, "Oof!"

"Why not..." Leo questioned sleepily.

"Because the sun's awake! So I am awake as well! So I have to play!"

Leo roughly pushed Harley off the bed, muttering, "Ok, Rooster. Go play by yourself.

Harley feel on his butt on the side of Leo's bed, frowning slightly. However, he was not discouraged. His eyes suddenly lit up as he got an idea. He once again climbed on Leo's bed and gently turned Leo's head so it was facing him.

"Do you wanna build a fire?"

Slowly, as a triumphant Harley knew he would, Leo opened two light brown eyes and gave him a knowing smile.

Ten seconds later, the two boys were running down the stairs to the bottom floor of the maze-like castle, Harley pulling Leo while every once in a while happily telling his brother to hurry up, Leo telling his brother to quiet down but giggling just as loudly himself. Soon, they entered an empty chamber. Leo shut the doors to block out sound, and the two boys laughed as Leo was once again pulled to the center of the room.

"Do it!" said Harley, "Do the magic!"

Leo gestured for Harley to come closer, and once Harley was in a good position he started to wiggle his fingers. In a matter of seconds, a small flame danced in his palms. Harley watched in wonder as the flame started to rise until it was level with Leo's nose.

"Ready?" asked Leo.

Leo knew perfectly well that Harley was more than ready, but he still loved to see the eagerness in his eyes. Leo threw the tiny ball of fire into the air. Seconds before it hit the ceiling, it exploded in a shower of colorful sparks. The sparks fizzed here and there like they had a mind of their own. Harley spun around, trying to catch the sparks like they were bubbles.

"This is awesome!" shouted Harley, laughing as he spun faster.

Before Harley could get dizzy, Leo grabbed him by the shoulders. Leo joined in the laughter as Harley unsteadily wobbled on his feet.

"Watch this!" Leo said, slightly bending his knees.

Harley ran up to Leo, his laughing never faltering, and got up piggy-back. Leo hoisted Harley into a more comfortable position, and then started to run. Harley hung on tight, shrieking in delight. As Leo ran, each time one of his feet hit the ground, liquid fire spread from that spot like he had just jumped into an orange puddle. Soon, half of the floor was covered in boiling lava. Harley wasn't scared, though. He knew that he was perfectly safe with his brother, and that Leo would never let him get hurt.

Suddenly, the lava started to rise up like a wave. The wave curled under Leo and they steadily rose from the floor.

"Hold on tight!" Leo yelled to Harley.

Leo surfed the wave without need of a board, and Harley clung on Leo's back for dear life as he enjoyed the ride. They went around the room ten times before the wave died down and Leo gently descended and gracefully hit ground once again. The liquid fire died out, and the room was left unscathed.

The two boys continued to play. At one time, Leo once again conjured a small amount of lava, shaped it into the shape of a small dog, and hardened it as a toy for Harley. Harley was delighted, and insisted that they give it a name.

"How about Rover?" suggested Leo.

"No!" Harley immediately replied, giggling.

"Well, what about Leo Jr.?"

Harley laughed harder, shaking his head.

"Oh, I get it!" said Leo with both hands on hips, feigning irritation, "You want it to be Harley Jr., don't you! Like your name is _so _much better than mine!"

Harley doubled over, continuing to laugh his adorable little laugh. Leo's mask fell, and he began to laugh as well.

"Ok, I give up!" said Leo between giggles, "Why don't you name it, if I am so bad at names!"

Harley stopped laughing enough to manage a few deep breaths, and adopted an expression of deep though. Finally, he snapped his fingers.

"Sparky!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands.

"In what world is Sparky better than Leo Jr.?" said Leo, pretending to look offended.

Harley once again broke into giggles, and Leo smiled. He loved being able to make his brother laugh. It was the best feeling in the world that he was able to make someone happy.

"Fine, Sparky it is," said Leo.

Harley hugged the molten dog, laughing and patting its head. Leo crouched down next to Harley, watching Harley pretend to give the dog a treat and then subjecting to Harley's pleas to give the dog a kiss.

"Come on, Sparky!" Harley had gotten up on Sparky and was sitting on it like it was a horse, clutching two fists in front of him like he was holding invisible reins. "Ya!"

Sparky lurched forward with a jerk, surprising Harley. For one insane moment, Harley was sure the dog had come alive. Then he saw Leo a short distance away, pushing the dog with a jet of lava. Harley whooped as the dog started to skate around the room, propelled by Leo's magic.

Later, when the sun was almost level with the highest trees in the forest but the town still slept blissfully, the two boys had lit a fire with wood from a spare pile they had gathered earlier (They made bonfires often) and were roasting marshmallows. Harley suddenly cried out in surprise as his marshmallow escaped from his roasting stick and made suicide in the fire. Harley let out a sigh of disappointment, but then once again smiled as Leo simply reached into the fire like it was just warm air instead of burning flames and scooped out the marshmallow from among the coals. But Harley's grateful smile changed into a cry of indignation as Leo popped the marshmallow into his mouth.

"Hey! That's mine!"

Leo swallowed, playfully stuck out his tongue, and nimbly dodged Harley as he leaped at Leo. The boys soon became engaged in a game of tag, and soon the sole reason for the game was lost in the wind. But the boys didn't care. They laughed and ran until their breath came out in great rasps, enjoying each other's company. But, slowly but steadily, they got closer to the fire they had build.

When Leo finally noticed, it was too late.

"Wait!" He yelled at Harley.

Harley didn't listen. He charged straight at Leo and they collided. Leo was knocked backwards, straight into the fire. In an effort to save his brother, Leo tried to push his brother back. But instead of pushing Harley to safety, a tiny ball of fire shot from Leo's hands and hit Harley on the side of the head.

Harley was instantly knocked unconscious, his eyes rolling up and his limbs becoming limp. With a small, helpless yelp, Leo grabbed Harley and shielded him from the burning flames as they fell into their bonfire. Leo managed to will the flames to extinguish, and then looked at the part where Harley had been hit. Leo's eyes widened, and he started to cry. The skin was burned off, and the spot was red and bloody. Small tendrils of white had began to creep their way from the bloody spot, glowing eerily. Leo somehow knew that this was no normal burn. His sobbing increased.

"Mommy! Papi!" he yelled as loudly as he could, hoping that someone, _anyone_, would be able to hear him. Harley's face was now wet do to the heavy tears falling with no end in sight. Leo hugged Harley tightly.

"It's ok, Harley," Leo whispered to Harley's unconscious form, "You're gonna be alright, buddy. I promise."

But Leo felt just as helpless as Harley was._ He _had been the one to hurt him. _He _had made the bonfire and had forgotten to put it out.

_Maybe if I hadn't taken his marshmallow, he wouldn't have started chasing me and never would have ran into the fire, _Leo thought.

His sobs increased by a tenfold. He kept drawing conclusions to how he could have stopped the injury from happening in the first place, or maybe what caused it. They all led up to being his fault.

BANG!

The doors were kicked open, and two familiar faces ran into the room. Leo's parents saw Harley, and they understood immediately.

"Leo, this is getting out of hand!" his dad scolded as his mother took Harley out of Leo's hands.

"It was an accident!"

His father's words only made him feel worse. He tried to look at Harley, but he was held up high by his mother.

_Probably to protect him from me, _Leo thought.

"He has a terrible fever," his mother observed, "I don't know if it's because of the burn or the magic."

"Will he be alright?" Leo asked hopefully.

His mother gave him a small smile which he felt he didn't deserve, and said gently, "We'll do our best. I am sure Harley will be fine."

But judging by her expression, she didn't believe it herself.

"Wait," his father suddenly said, "I know where we can go! Ready two horses! I'll be out in a second!"

He ran out of the room.

Leo followed his mother out of the castle and to the stables, where they got the two fastest horses. Leo's eyes never once left his brother. He notices that the small white tendrils seemed to be making their way down Harley's neck, and they had almost reached his shoulders. Leo felt a tremendous stab of guilt every time he laid eyes on the red burn.

The horses were led quickly to the gates, where Leo's father was waiting with two lanterns and a map clutched in his hands. Leo didn't have any idea where he had gotten such a map, but that was the least of his concerns now.

"Where are we going?" asked Leo's mother.

"There is a place in the woods where there is a campsite. The people there have healing magic. It is called Camp Demigod, for it is rumored that they have power almost as strong as the gods themselves. They will know what to do."

Leo wanted to cry out with relief, but he managed to control himself.

_I will only be relieved when Harley was safe and sound. _Leo thought, sending another guilty look at Harley's limp body.

Leo got up in front of his father on the first horse, while his mother mounted the other with Harley in her hands. They immediately set off at a gallop, and Leo had to hold on tight to the horse's neck so as to not fall off. They rode for some time, and the sun was still edging its way over the treetops.

They entered the dark and gloomy forest, and Leo leaned back to be closer to his father. The dark shadows scared him. Normally, he would have simply lit a small fire in his hands to light their way. But for Leo, the risk was too great. He would not be responsible for another injury.

A little way away from where they were riding, the six forgotten children were wandering aimlessly, trying to find anything useful. But they all knew that they were relying on plain luck to save them, and it made them all gloomy. Annabeth listing all the possible ways they could die didn't help.

"And what if there is a forest fire?" Annabeth suggested furiously, "We could get trapped and get burnt alive! Or maybe we could even suffocate due to smoke! Or we could suffocate by other reasons! What if we drown? We could easily-"

"SHUT UP, ANNABETH!" Percy screamed.

Annabeth turned to look at Percy, and Percy's annoyed expression was instantly replaced by one of fear.

"Um... I didn't mean that- I should-"

Annabeth now looked positively murderous, and the other kids didn't hesitate to back up. They knew that this would get ugly. Percy himself tried to back away from Annabeth. That was a mistake.

Annabeth literally pounced on Percy, pinning him to the ground. He couldn't move a muscle. Annabeth looked triumphant, and she raised a fist as if to punch Percy. If he could have moved them, Percy would have used his arms to shield his face, which was most likely Annabeth's target.

"Wait, do you hear that?" Frank suddenly said.

Annabeth wasn't fazed.

"Nice try, Frank. But no one gets between me and my victim."

"No! I'm serious!'

"Hey, I can hear it, too," said Hazel.

All the kids were silent.

"It sounds like hoof-beat," observed Jason.

Annabeth lifted her head to hear better, and her eyes widened. Charging towards them was a herd of deer, twice as tall as all of them, and almost thrice as tall as little Hazel.

"STAMPEDE!" Percy yelled, quite unnecessarily.

The kids hit the ground and shielded their heads with their hands. Piper and Hazel could be heard screaming as the herd ran over them. Miraculously, none of them got trampled, but there were many close cases. Finally, the herd had passed over them.

Hazel started to stand up, but she was once again knocked over by a young buck. Hazel screamed as she hit the ground. The tiny deer was also knocked off balance, and fell somewhere away from Hazel. When Hazel once again got up, she noticed the buck and her eyes softened. The buck looked back at her with watery eyes.

"Hi, Mr. Deer," Hazel said, slowly crawling to the fallen deer, who made no effort to run away. In fact, he seemed fascinated with Hazel.

"I am sorry I knocked you over. Are you alright?"

The deer grunted in reply, as if to say, _I am fine, thank you._

Hazel giggled, and gave the deer a hug. The deer didn't respond.

"Um, Hazel?" Frank intervened, "What are you doing?"

"I am hugging Arion!" Hazel eagerly replied.

"Arion?" Piper raised an eyebrow.

"I like it! Don't you, Arion?"

The buck indeed seemed pleased with its new name, and tenderly got up.

"I wonder what scared that herd," wondered Annabeth out loud.

"I have a feeling we are about to find out..." said Frank.

As if responding to Frank's statement, two horses suddenly ran past. All the children (except Hazel, who quickly gripped Arion around the neck to keep him from running away in fear) once again hit the ground. When they dared themselves to look up, all that was left was a cloud of dust.

"Horses!" Percy exclaimed.

"There were people riding them!" Annabeth said, "We have to catch up to them! They can bring us back to town!"

The excitement was spread to all the children like a cold, and even Arion looked cheerful.

"Ok, Frank," said Jason, "You up to it?"

Frank looked a little deflated. He didn't like talking about his powers, much less using them.

"I guess I am," was all Frank said.

Frank closed his eyes, and began to transform. He fell on all fours, and his hands became hooves. His nose and mouth became a snout, and his hair became a mane. His skin turned bright white, and he grew a tail.

Frank the Stallion got down on low so the children could get on his back. Luckily, he was much larger than regular horses, so the others were able to fit on him no problem. Hazel, much to the annoyance of the other children, managed to get Arion on Frank's back as well.

Once he was sure that everyone was ready and holding tight, Frank sped off after the other two horses.

On one of the two horses in question, Leo was deep in thought. He could have _sworn _he saw a bunch of kids as they passed by. But his eyes must have been playing tricks on him. Why would a bunch of kids be in the forest this early in the morning? The only people from Olympus who ever really visited these woods were the Ice Miners, and they left hours ago.

_I must be thinking too much about Harley, _Leo thought miserably.

"We're here," Leo's dad suddenly said.

They emerged in a clearing. It was seemingly empty. But once they were all in clear view, an authoritative voice spoke to them.

"Halt! Who dares to enter Camp Demigod?"

Leo's eyes widened and his jaw went slack as what he had thought as an ordinary rock transformed into a statue of a man. Or, at least part of a man. It was only a man from the shoulders up. The rest of his body was a giant pedestal. The statue was glaring back at them. Leo clutched his father's arm for support. His father, however, looked fearless as he stared right back into the eyes of the statue.

"Oh mighty Terminus, powerful being who guards Camp Demigod. We wish to have an audience with Rachel Elizabeth Dare."

Terminus didn't look flattered.

"We will _not _be having any visitors! It was bad enough when Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter decided to join up, and now we have mortals coming from Olympus to see our Oracle!? Unacceptable!"

This all wasn't news to Leo. Since he was royalty, he was usually one of the first people to get news. The story of the battle and the truce between the two camps had definitely stuck in his mind. However, he had never heard of someone called Rachel Elizabeth Dare.

"Terminus? What is going on?"

Another man, this time with all his parts, emerged from the trees and into the clearing. If Leo didn'tknow better, he would have thought that he was having some bizarre dream. This man was no statue, but he definitely wasn't human. From the waist up, he was a normal-looking human, but from there he was a white stallion.

_A centaur! _Leo thought with wonder.

"Ah, I see we have visitors," observed the centaur.

"Yes, and they have tried to enter Camp Demigod _without permission!_"

Terminus seemed ready to explode. The centaur regarded the family with mild curiosity, and then smiled warmly at them.

"I am Chiron. Pleased to meet you."

He held out a hand, which my father roughly shook. Leo managed a little wave, and Chiron examined him with interest. Leo suddenly felt very shy, which wasn't one of his strong qualities.

"Is he a new recruit?" Chiron asked.

"No," Leo's father immediately replied, leaving Leo confused, "We are here about my other son."

He showed Chiron Harley, and Chiron looked at him with an expression that said that he understood.

"So, you are here to see Miss Dare?"

Leo's father nodded gravely, and without another word Chiron beckoned the family to follow.

"You are letting them _enter?" _Terminus sounded outraged, "They haven't even been checked!"

Chiron ignored him, and the others felt as if they should follow suit.

"Born or cursed?" Chiron asked as they walked.

The others looked confused.

"Well, Harley here-" Leo's mother began to say.

"No, I mean this boy here," He gestured to Leo, "Was he born or cursed with his powers?"

"I was born with them," Leo responded for his parents.

"I see," Chiron looked back at Leo with a look of pity. Leo squirmed a little in his saddle.

"We should be there soon."

And, true to Chiron's word, they emerged on top of a tiny hill. Leo's breath caught as he looked out as a huge valley. Inside the valley was a huge campsite. Thousands of tents were set up, and tiny huts were scattered among them. Leo could also see a Colosseum, where tiny figures were in mock-battle. He couldn't make out many of them, though.

Leo's attention was wavered when the horse turned towards a tiny cave that he hadn't noticed before. It looked creepier than the forest, and once again Leo felt wary. But the situation was quite out of his control. The horses followed Chiron as he went into the cave. As he entered the cave, he noticed drapes pushed to the side of the entrance. They looked like they had been doodled on.

After walking through a small tunnel, they entered a cavern with enough space to hold two of the castle's stables. An ornate rug was in the center, and chairs and sofas were placed in random places, along with a comfortable-looking bed. Colored pictures and sketches were attached to the cavern wall, and Leo admired the skill put into them. The only other piece of furniture was a desk and a seat that happened to be occupied.

A little girl who must have been about a year older than Leo was drawing a picture while quietly munching on a plate of cookies. She had frizzy red hair, and her dress had been doodled on. Leo smiled a bit. The messiness was a nice change from all the neat and spotless gowns he had seen in the past.

"Rachel?" Chiron spoke up, "You have visitors."

The girl turned to face them. Her face was spotted with freckles, and her eyes were . She looked surprised to see them, and then she immediately got down from her chair and bowed. Leo smiled at her and waved. Rachel looked a bit startled, but nevertheless returned the smile and waved.

Leo's mother got down from her horse, carrying Harley. Leo also leaped down from his horse, along with his father. Rachel looked as Harley in concern, and then turned to Chiron.

"Please get Will. If you can find her, also bring Lou Ellen. Her skill might be needed."

"Of course," Chiron gave Rachel one last smile, then galloped to fetch the two requested people.

"What happened to him?" Rachel asked Leo's mother, examining Harley.

"Our son here, Leo," Leo's father said, putting one hand on his shoulder, "He has power over fire. I don't know the details, but Leo must have accidentally hit Harley."

Leo broke into tears. Leo's father looked at Leo in surprise, and then guilt.

"Oh, um," his father awkwardly said, "No, I am sure you didn't mean to hurt Harley."

Leo wasn't reassured.

Chiron had just returned, and following him was a boy and a girl about Rachel's age. The boy had blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a naturally perfect figure. Due to the dim lights, it was hard to tell, but Will's skin was also nicely tanned. He pretty much looked like how any boy would want to look like. This must have been Will.

Lou Ellen had dark black hair and bright green eyes, which looked like green torches in a sea of blackness. Her hands almost seemed to be glowing with some unknown power. Leo once again became wary.

Will suddenly caught sight of Harley, and ran over to him. Lou Ellen followed suit.

"Ellen," Will addressed Lou Ellen, "First Aid Kit."

Lou waved her hands, and suddenly she was holding a small case labeled, _First Aid. _Leo rubbed his eyes furiously, because they must have been playing tricks on him. Will took the case, and took out some cloth and some kind of medicine.

"Hot water," Will ordered.

Lou grabbed a bowl and ran out of the cave to fetch the water, and Leo watched Will as he worked. With everything he did, Leo finally felt some clarity from his conscience. Harley was going to be ok. He was going to live!

Lou had come back with the bowl of water. Will paused in his work to examine the contents, and shook his head in disapproval.

"It needs to be hot."

Lou glared at him, then mumbled under her breath a rather unflattering comment. As she prepared her magic, however, she was astounded to find the water boiling and emitting steam. Lou held up the bowl as if to check to see if it was an illusion.

"Thanks," said Will, taking the bowl without looking at her.

A little way away, Leo was looking as his hands with a feeling of horror he had never experienced before. What if he had burnt the girl like he had burnt Harley?

Will continued to heal Harley, every once in a while asking Lou for magical assistance. It felt like hours for Leo, who was watching Will's every move. But finally, the burn mark was gone. Leo wanted to cry out in relief.

"Harley is almost completely healed," said Will to the family, "All that is left is to remove the magical effects from the injury. I will leave that to Lou. Can I please go back to sleep now?"

Chiron nodded his head, and Will hurried out of the cave. Lou turned to Harley.

"You are very lucky," she said, "It only hit his head. If it had been his heart, or even remotely close to it, he wouldn't have had a chance. Removing magic is no picnic."

"But you can do it, right?" Leo's father asked.

"Of course," Lou smiled reassuringly at them, "I will heal him right away. I suggest that we remove all magic, just to be safe."

"Do what you must."

"But, that includes memories as well."

Lou turned to face Leo.

"You mean, he won't remember I have powers?" Leo asked her.

"No. All of those times you were playing with your little fire will be gone."

Leo frowned. Those were his most treasured memories. He would rather loose an arm than one of those.

"But if you would like, I can leave the fun," Lou continued.

Lou waved her hands. From Harley, a kind of mist came from the burnt part in his head. The mist formed a picture of Leo and Harley riding a wave of lava in the castle. The scene suddenly changed to them surfing a real wave at a beach with a board. The mist changed to Harley roasting a marshmallow over a tiny fire in Leo's hands, which changed to Leo holding a candle under Harley's marshmallow. Finally, it changed to Leo and Harley watching a fireworks display in their bedroom, curled up next to each other. The scene changed so they were both outside, enjoying fireworks that Leo probably didn't make. With each memory, Leo smiled as he remembered the happy occasion. With each change, he felt a pang in his heart that would likely remain there forever. When Lou finished, she gently placed her hand on Harley's temple, and the mist disappeared. The white tendrils were gone, but Leo noticed a single lock of hair that was as black as coal. Harley smiled in his sleep.

"It is for the best," Leo's mother told him.

He choked back my sobs, and nodded.

"Thanks, Lou," Rachel said to Lou, who smiled and exited the cave.

"Leo, come here."

Leo shyly walked up to Rachel.

"Listen. Your power will only grow. As the years go by, it will become restless, and harder to control. But you must learn to control it."

When he was right in front of Rachel, she held out her hands.

"Clasp my hands," she said.

Wary, yet curious, Leo did as she asked. The effect was instantaneous.

Her eyes started to glow bright green. Leo tried to pull away, but her hands firmly clasped his with incredible strength. Her mouth was slightly agape, and from it came a mysterious green smoke. Leo would have screamed if he could breathe. Rachel spoke with a voice that wasn't hers.

_**Though fire possesses beauty, and brings warmth to those cold**_

_**A child of fire must learn the price**_

_**Of using it unwisely, and have never been told**_

_**Of the danger it possesses to melt the ice**_

_**The time is inevitable when you will need**_

_**Love to save you when you run away from your fears**_

_**The time is inevitable when you will once again do the deed**_

_**And the ice dam will melt and stop holding your tears**_

_**Only true love can you sire**_

_**to save you from your curse**_

_**Choose wisely, son of fire**_

_**And look out for the worst**_

Rachel's eyes stopped glowing, and the smoke was gone. She immediately collapsed, but luckily Chiron managed to catch her and eased her into one of the soft sofas. Leo felt like collapsing himself. That was a prophecy, no doubt about it. And it definitely didn't bring good tidings for the future.

"Why don't you rest, Rachel," Chiron suggested. Rachel didn't object, so he left her to her nap.

"Will you be alright?" Chiron asked Leo's father.

"Yes. I know what to do. We can protect Leo and Harley."

Chiron nodded.

"Well then, I bade you farewell. Until next time."

"Thank you, for everything," said Leo's mother.

And with that they left. Chiron gave Rachel one last pitiful look, and then also made his leave. Rachel, on the other hand, smiled to herself.

"Would you like to come in? There are a few cookies left over."

Rachel turned her head to face the six eavesdroppers, who had just moments ago been hiding outside. And, being the wise cookie-loving guy he was, Percy entered the cave, followed by the five others, still being shadowed by Arion.

Later that day in the castle, Harley woke up with a major headache. He looked outside his window. The sun was well up. It must have been the afternoon, which meant he missed breakfast.

But hadn't he gotten up that morning? Harley didn't remember.

Then Harley decided that he would find Leo and play a game with him. That always cheered him up. As he got out of bed, he noticed a major difference in his room that he shared with Leo. Or at least, he _thought _he shared with Leo. All of Leo's stuff was gone, including his bed. The space in the wall where his bed usually was seemed unusually empty without it.

Harley ran out of the door. He would find Leo and demand to know what was going on. However, he didn't need to look far. As he ran out the door, he saw Leo walking into one of the rooms they never used before. Through the opening the door left, Harley could make out Leo's bed, as well as a lot of his toys. Harley suddenly realized what was going on. Leo was getting his own room.

Leo suddenly noticed Harley. He desperately wanted to talk to him, to tell him what was going on and why they were doing this. But he couldn't. He just couldn't. Sending one last glance at Harley, he quietly shut the door to his new room.

Harley was heartbroken. Was it something he had done? Had he made Leo angry? Harley ran back into his room and slammed the door shut.

And he cried.

**I know that was a bit of a sad ending. Next is, Do You Want To Build a Snowman! I will definitely change the lyrics! This will be hard...**

**PLEASE REVIEW! I love hearing from you! You are awesome!**

**Catsrawesome**


	3. Do You Wanna Build a Fire?

**I have three words for you guys.**

**I'M SO SORRY!**

**You know that feeling when you are trying to write and you just don't _feel _it? Like that spark of inspiration? I just couldn't get myself to write more than a few words! It was killing me!**

**But I got a very nice review from someone named Caleo4eva. You were my substitute spark, and it definitely worked! Thank you so much!**

**And thank you all so much! In the bottom, I have answered all of your reviews! You deserved to all be acknowledged!**

**This song was much easier than I thought, actually. I know for sure the next song is going to be MURDER!**

**But let's not dwell on such stuff.**

**Just a warning, the chapter get's a little dark at the end there, but there is a lot of bromance in this chapter! I hope you enjoy, and I hope it makes up for all those months of absence!**

**Months. *sigh* I am a terrible person, aren't I?**

A creak was heard as the door to what used to be the room the two brothers shared eased open. A tiny head peaked from behind the cover of the indigo colored door. Harley hesitated, took a deep breath, and then emerged from his lonely room.

He walked up to his brother's door, greetings playing in his mind. Though barely a week had gone by since Leo had been moved, the door already had picked up on Leo's personality. A flame pattern had been painted in a soft red on its wooden surface, not seeming lifelike at all but still looking alive. Harley admired the decor for a few seconds, and then silently scolded himself for distracting himself. If he didn't muster the courage to ask Leo now, when would he?

Harley cleared his throat.

"Leo?"

There was no reply. Harley hadn't expected one, but he had hoped beyond all hope. Harley knocked on the door, each knock a syllable making up a Morse Code message.

_Hello._

Still no reply.

Harley was crestfallen, but far from discouraged. He decided to change tactic. He started to smile as an idea formed in his mind. He took a deep breath.

_"Do you wanna build a fire?_

Harley thought he heard movement from the other side of the door. His smile widened as he continued to sing.

_Come on, I'll grab some wood._

_I haven't seen you for a week._

_Except for at the meals we eat._

_What's with your mood?_

The movement behind the door stopped, and Harley immediately regretted his choice in lyrics. However, he didn't stop his song.

_We used to be best buddies!_

_And now we're not._

Harley frowned at the depressing thought.

_I wish you would tell me why!_

Harley noticed a keyhole right below the doorknob. Maybe he might be able to get a glimpse of his brother! Harley pressed his head close to the door.

_Do you wanna build a fire?"_

_Maybe Leo doesn't hear me_, Harley thought. Just in case Leo didn't, Harley sang into the keyhole, his voice slightly muffled.

_"It doesn't have to be a fire!"_

Harley giggled a bit at his muffled voice, but his laughter immediately subsided when he heard his brother's voice.

"Go away, Harley!"

That was when Harley gave up.

_He just needs some space,_ Harley thought to himself, _I am sure he will come out soon._

"_Ok, bye."_

Harley turned away slowly from his brother's door, trudging back to his own room.

Leo had been listening to his brother's song intently, each word threatening to make him burst into tears. He _hated _having to stay away from Harley. It had been only a week and Leo was already drowning in loneliness. It was even more painful because of how much he loved Harley.

_He must feel horrible, _Leo thought miserably_._

Leo decided to clear his head. He turned his head to the window, and his only closure, that was in his room. Leo walked up to to window and placed both hands on the windowsill. It was a beautiful sunny day, and the sun streaming through his only window felt wonderful on his face. Leo closed his eyes and relaxed. The heat almost seemed to increase, and it felt even better.

Then Leo smelt something burning.

Leo opened his eyes with a start, and let out a cry of shock as he saw two hand shaped burn marks on the windowsill. Leo backed away quickly from the window, the blissful moment lost. He suddenly heard another knock on the door.

"Go away Harley!" Leo shouted to the door, his voice cracking slightly.

"It's me," came the voice from behind the door. Leo realized his mistake when he identified the voice as his father's. He hurried to get the door for him.

"How are you doing?" Leo's father asked him.

"Fine," Leo lied.

His father immediately detected the fib, and his eyes narrowed. Unintentionally, Leo's eyes darted to the two burnt hand-marks, and his father picked up his gaze. He let out an exhausted sigh, and he looked at Leo with disappointment.

"I thought we had discussed this," his father scolded, "No magic."

"I didn't mean to!" Leo protested, "I just-"

"Lost control," His father finished. He no longer looked disappointed. Just sad. Leo averted his eyes in shame.

"But we may have a solution to it."

Leo's head snapped towards his father, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"Are you serious?" Leo asked.

His father reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of black leather gloves. Leo immediately glared at his father.

"How are these supposed to help?"

"They are magic," His father replied, and Leo's annoyed look was replaced with a look of wonder, gazing upon the simple-looking pair of gloves, "They have the power to restrain the pull of magic."

"How did you get these?" Leo asked his father, still examining the gloves with new-found respect.

"A sorceress made them herself in order to live a normal life. Of course, there have been very few sorcerer's in Olympus, and they immediately are shipped to Camp Demigod. However, we don't want you to go through that. That is why we got the gloves."

Leo felt grateful to his father. It was bad enough he couldn't talk to Harley, but leaving him would probably be more than he could handle.

But at the same time, Leo felt a tiny weight in his heart. Was he being selfish? Would going away really keep Harley safe?

Leo's father gently pulled a glove onto one of Leo's hands. It felt cool, and sent slight shivers up Leo's back. He could almost _feel _the power.

"Now, remember what I told you before?" his father asked as he pulled on the second glove.

Leo hesitated, then nodded.

"Conceal," His father started.

"Don't feel," Leo continued.

"Don't let it show," they finished together.

And that was the code Leo lived by for a very long time.

**_~Five Years Later~_**

Harley ran down hallway, whooping. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he got ready to spring. He saw his destination: the couch that always sat in the Hall of Paintings. As he got closer, he bent his knees. When he was only ten feet away, he leaped into the air, sprang off the sofa, and soared. Harley laughed, doing a few flips, and then landed safely on a neighboring couch. Harley gave himself a few seconds to savor the moment, and then his laughter died. He sighed slightly at his immaturity.

_This is so pathetic, _He thought to himself, _I have to rocket off of sofas for entertainment. _

Harley knew he had hours until dinner. He was in desperate need of entertainment, yet there was none to be found. Jumping up and down on a couch gets old after a few goes. If only Leo was here...

Harley's good spirit now died away completely. He frowned, fighting down the urge to cry. Over the years, Harley must have asked Leo hundreds of times. The first few times, Harley knocked on the door asking Leo to play, and every time Leo rejected him. But after Harley tested his luck about twenty times, Leo had stopped answering altogether. Now Harley was beginning to miss his rejections.

Harley was stubborn. He kept on knocking every single day, hoping beyond hope for a chance to even talk to his brother. However, as the years went by, Harley's visits became much less frequent. He started visiting only once every two days. Then it dwindled down to weeks. Now, Harley's visits to Leo's room were barely every month. Harley never gave up entirely. In fact, his longing for his brother back was right now winning the war with fear of rejection.

_Well, it wouldn't hurt to try, would it? _Harley thought to himself.

His boredom struck the winning blow, and he ran to his brother's room.

The doors had begun to look ominous, even though they didn't seem nearly as large as they did when he was five. Now he was ten years old. His small, innocent mind had somewhat matured since then, and he had become close to fearless. In fact, the only things he feared were rejection from his brother and getting bit by a vampire. If only he could convince himself that the stupid blood-suckers weren't real!

He only slowed down right when he arrived at his destination, causing him to rocket right past the doors. Quickly backtracking, Harley knocked on the doors.

_"Do you wanna build a fire?_

_Or maybe throw around a ball?_

_Or we could maybe play a game of tag._

_Stop being such a drag!_

_It's been five years after all!_

Harley's legs almost had a mind of their own, and they just couldn't stand still as Harley sang these words. As Harley's anticipation rose, so did his hope.

_Why, oh why will you not answer?_

_Was it something that I did?_

_Could you just briefly answer my call?"_

Harley was about to continue his song when he felt something bump into his foot. He looked down and was surprised to see a quickly scrawled note. He tenderly picked it up as if it were bomb about to go off any minute. As he unfolded the note, he saw small, untidy scribbling near the top of the page. Harley's heart gave a leap.

_Leo wrote on this very page, _Harley thought breathlessly, _He actually _answered _me!_

Harley wanted to hoard it in his room and keep it safe. He didn't want it to gain the slightest tear. He didn't want any harm to come to the tiny piece of paper.

Yet at the same time, Harley was afraid of what exactly Leo had actually _written. _Was it another rejection? Was it an explanation? Was it an invitation?

Without another moment's hesitation, Harley forced his eyes to stare at the words written on the paper. His heart sped up as he read every word.

_Stop coming._

_I can't play with you._

_What will it take for you to understand?_

_Just go away._

_Leave me alone._

_-Leo_

When Harley finished reading the note, he felt an unfamiliar emotion. It was more than annoyance or frustration. He wanted to break something. He wanted to yell at Leo to get his sorry butt out of his room and demand him to give him a fair explanation.

He lost all respect for the note, and threw it at Leo's stubbornly closed door. Harley sent the door one last glare before storming to his own room. After slamming his own door, he flopped down on his bed, hands clenched.

Just that very moment, Harley was shocked to figure out that what he was feeling was _anger. _

Harley had his fair share of memories when Leo had annoyed him, and they did have the occasional sibling fight, but Harley had never been downright _furious_ with his brother. The anger had now left Harley, leaving him depressed. Once again, Harley was in the exact same spot as before.

The tiny note fluttered down to the ground like a leaf in the wind. The paper rocked back and forth in the air, the side of the paper the light favored alternating between Leo's message and the back. After a few graceful spins, the paper rested itself down with the back of the paper facing up.

And on the back were three small words that appeared to be added as an after thought.

_P.S. I am sorry._

Leo once again heard the fateful knocking. By now, it was starting to get annoying, rather than upsetting. Leo had long since stopped answering Harley's calls. It was bad enough hearing Harley, so hopeful and innocent, asking him in vain to come out to play, but it was even worse to reject him.

But his promise to his father stuck firmly in his head like glue. He couldn't interact with anyone, especially his brother. He couldn't have another accident.

As time went by, Leo had managed to find a few ways to distract himself. He had discovered that he liked jokes, and whenever Leo was upset, he would just tell himself a good one inside his head. He also told jokes to his parents, who were the only people he could talk to. They were very busy, and that often left Leo feeling very lonely. If only he could actually communicate with Harley without actually _talking _to him.

Leo's eyes caught on his small stack of paper and pencils, and he got an idea.

When Leo was very young, a little before Harley was born, Leo was having a lot of trouble socializing with people. Even though he wasn't now, he used to be very shy. His mother had told him that it was easier to write out your feelings than to say them out loud to someone, so Leo commonly talked to people by writing them notes. Eventually, when Harley was born, Leo started to get better, and he stopped using notes. Maybe, just maybe, it might help him now.

Leo sat down at his desk, removing his gloves to write. Leo quickly scribbled down a quick note, pausing every now and then. His eraser was put to use more than a few times, causing Leo's frustration to rise. In the end, Leo was only left with three words that fit.

_I am sorry._

Leo's mind went blank. This wasn't enough. He knew it wasn't enough. This wouldn't satisfy Harley. By now, probably _nothing _would satisfy the ten year old. Leo wished that Harley would just leave him alone and let him be miserable I peace.

Leo started to feel angry. He turned the page over, and furiously attacked the page with a much harsher message. In the back of his mind, Leo knew that the words he was writing would probably crush his younger brother, but right now he didn't care. Once he finished writing, he turned the page over once again to erase his previous attempt.

His eraser hovered a few inches over the words. Leo's burst of anger had now partially subsided, and his hands were no longer shaking. Changing his mind, Leo decided to keep the tiny note as a postscript and folded it up so it was small enough to fit under the door. He shoved it through the crack as hard as he could, hoping that Harley would notice it.

His hopes were confirmed as Harley suddenly stopped singing. Leo couldn't help but crouch down and look under the crack in his door. He just managed to see Harley tenderly pick the note up. After a few suspense-filled seconds, Leo saw Harley throw the note and stomp away. Though he could no longer see Harley, he heard the sound of a door being slammed.

Leo slowly got up from his place on the floor. It took him a few minutes to take in what he just saw.

Harley, his innocent little brother that had never yelled at a living soul, was _angry _at him.

_Just like you were at him moments ago, _Leo thought to himself.

Leo felt ashamed of himself. What kind of thoughtless monster was he becoming? How could he take his anger out on his younger brother?

Leo started to feel angry again. However this time he wasn't angry at Harley. He was angry at his parents, for not letting him talk to Harley face-to-face. He was angry at the Fates for giving him this life. He was angry at whoever he had inherited his powers from.

Most of all, he was angry at himself. He was angry at himself for losing control. He was angry that he was reacting so badly to his situation. He was angry that he wasn't perfect.

He definitely wasn't perfect. Not even close.

Suddenly, Leo saw a flash of light and was blasted off of his feet, landing hard on his back. Groaning in pain, he managed to get himself to a sitting position. As he looked towards the place the source that had blasted him backwards had been before, he let out a gasp.

There was a giant black burn mark on his wall. It must have been twice as big as himself! Leo unsteadily got to his feet, and stared at the burn, and then back as his hands.

_I forgot to put my gloves back on! _

Leo ran back to his desk and shoved his hands back into his gloves, the icy power once again acting like a dam restraining the flow of magic. Leo's heart was beating at a million miles per hour, and he suddenly had trouble breathing. Leo had never summoned that much fire before.

What if someone else had been in this room?

Leo jumped as he heard someone knocking rapidly on his door.

"Leo, what's going on in there?" his mother's voice rang out.

Leo, hesitant this time, opened the door for his parents. His mother gasped and covered her mouth in horror once she saw the giant black mark on the wall. His father looked at Leo with the same look of disapproval that he had given him many times before.

"I took my gloves off," said Leo, who was on the verge of tears, "It was only for a second!"

The lines in his father's face creased, and he opened his mouth to speak. Probably to scold Leo. However, just as he was about to speak, Leo interrupted him.

"I'm scared."

His father's expression changed from disapproval to one of confusion. Leo never outwardly admitted how terrified he was of his powers, but Leo felt like he had to tell at least _someone._

"My power," Leo continued, "It's getting stronger. It's getting harder to control!"

Leo's mother instinctively ran forward to comfort her son, but Leo jumped away from her, eyes wide.

"Don't touch me!" he yelped.

Leo's mother looked shocked.

"P-please," Leo quickly added, still recoiling from his mother's touch, "I don't want to hurt you."

His parents looked at Leo helplessly, and Leo felt a great stab of guilt. First he hurt Harley, now he was getting his parents upset.

"I-I'm sorry," Leo finally said, "I'll try harder to control my powers. I won't forget the gloves again."

His parents looked relieved, and his father smiled at him.

"That's all we ask for, Son."

Leo gave them one last reassuring smile as his parents left his room, gently closing the door behind him.

That was the day Leo created his mask. He wasn't going to let anyone get hurt again. Not even emotionally.

Harley had heard the bang coming from Leo's room. Harley, though he was beyond curious, was still upset at Leo. The words from the note were still bouncing around in his head.

Harley's visit consistency dwindled down to years.

_**~Three** **Years Later~**_

Harley ran to his parent's room, where the door lay blissfully open. It was a nice change to all the closed doors he had to deal with for nearly his entire life. As Harley entered the room, he saw his parents packing a few last-minute things in suitcases, though there were plenty more scattered around the floor. Harley nimbly dodged the many obstacles as he made his way to his parents. Harley, now being thirteen (and proudly a teenager), had absolutely no trouble navigating his way across the room, as he often did much more dangerous and difficult activities in his spare time. His parents' eyes brightened and they spread their arms wide as they shared a group hug with their youngest son.

"I'll miss you," Harley said to them, "Come back soon, right?"

"Of course," his father replied, "We'll be back in just two weeks."

"Well then," Harley replied with a smile, "See you in two weeks."

They shared one last hug, and Harley ran back out of the room.

Leo was waiting at the bottom of the staircase leading from the upper floor to the entrance of the castle. His parents were walking down the stairs, shadowed by a few servants carrying their stuff for them. Leo smiled at his parents, bowing respectively at them like he had been taught. His mother beamed at him, while his father smiled proudly.

"If I knew any better, I would say you were moving," Leo said, glancing at the struggling servants.

His father chortled, while his mother glanced worriedly at the servants.

"I still think we should help them," his mother said.

"Nah, they're fine," his father replied, "Aren't you, boys?"

The servants quickly nodded and expressed their agreement, though Leo could swear they cast a pleading look his way.

Leo's smile started to fade a bit, and the smile he gave his parents next was sadder than before.

"Do you really have to go?" he asked them.

His father rested a hand on his shoulder.

"You'll be fine, Leo."

"It's not me I'm worried about. The seas are harsh, and there are many sea monsters."

His father gave Leo a tired look. They had had this conversation many times before.

"Don't worry about us."

"But I could protect you!"

"Leo, I told you: No magic."

Leo sighed, but nodded.

"We love you, Leo," his mother told him.

Leo once again smiled, and hugged his parents.

"Here, let me accompany you to the carriage," Leo said.

His father rolled his eyes, but didn't protest as Leo walked with them.

Harley watched out his parents ride away in the carriage, the servants who had helped them with their stuff looking relieved. Harley waved at them, even though he knew they couldn't see him.

_Goodbye._

With a sigh, Harley flopped down on his bed. The past few days had been keeping Harley gratefully busy, for he had been helping his parents get ready for an important trip to a neighboring country. Leo had also been helping, and Harley had managed to catch a glimpse of his brother every once in a while. However, he was never able to get close enough to speak to him. They were never doing the same thing. It was almost like his father was making them do separate tasks on _purpose_.

Harley was interrupted from his thoughts as he heard a door shut from outside his room. Leo must have returned from helping his parents with the luggage. Harley felt the familiar feeling he always felt when he had an opportunity to get his brother to play with him. Maybe if he knocked this time...

_Well, I've got nothing better to do, _Harley thought.

He hopped out of bed and ran towards his brother's door. The door itself no longer held the horror it did before. It only made Harley sad. It reminded Harley of how much time that he lost that could have been spent playing with Leo. It made Harley feel like he was trapped, even though he was free to go anywhere in the castle.

Although he was never allowed to go _outside _the castle. He always had to stay indoors, for there were many people out there who would love to get their hands on him. They could kidnap him and use him to bribe his father for money. Maybe they could even use him to take down the kingdom.

No, he must stay inside. At least until he was older.

He walked up to Leo's door, and held out his hand to knock. Then, he was consumed with a feeling of hopelessness. The spark of hope was now gone. Harley never realized that the tiny little spark was what lit up his courage to ask his brother over and over again, as well as its significance. Harley felt his fear start to emerge from the shadows of his mind as well.

His longing and fear began to battle once more, but the battle was short. His longing now cowered in the back of his mind, surrendering to the darkness that now lay there, for his spark that had driven away the darkness was now gone.

_Maybe that's why I named that dog Sparky, _Harley thought, recalling the last time he ever played with Leo all those years ago. _It represented hope._

Harley's mind then went blank.

_How did Leo make that dog again?_

Harley shook his head.

_I guess it doesn't really matter._

Harley once again returned to his room, casting one last sad look behind him at the closed door.

_**~Two Weeks Later~**_

The news came as a blow to everyone.

Harley had spent three days shut inside his room, crying and mourning for his dead parents. The thought that the ship could have been attacked seemed so impossible. No one had believed for even a second that harm would come to the couple. The sea, however, had decided otherwise, and had pulled the ship way off course towards the Sea of Monsters. The ship, while large and sturdy, stood no change against the might of the fearsome creatures that dwelled under the murky depths of the water. Only the cabin boy had managed to escape with his life, along with the dreadful news on the other passengers.

The castle was draped in black as a sign of mourning, though fortunately almost no one was there to witness the depressing mood. Everyone was at the town cemetery. At least, that is what everyone called it, for it was quite a way away from the kingdom itself, most likely so that it didn't make the townspeople uneasy. However, anyone who believed in the old ghost stories were swallowing their fear just this once in order to pay their respects.

Ten new tombstones were added among the rest. Since no bodies could be recovered, the stones were more like monuments. That was what Harley liked to call them. It made it sound like they were honoring his parents' memory rather than what used to be their lives. It didn't cheer Harley up in the slightest, but at least it didn't make him feel any worse.

Harley later felt proud of himself for not crying during the entire ceremony. Everyone's heads were bowed down in respect, and Harley stood in between the two pedestals as King Zeus read out a speech dedicated to Harley's parents. It was an honor, but Harley didn't feel privileged.

Harley couldn't find Leo anywhere.

He wasn't at the burial. Harley knew, for he had scanned the entire crowd of attendants and couldn't find the curly brown hair and brown eyes. It didn't make him angry, like he expected himself to be. He just felt pity for him. Harley knew that his parents had been Leo's rock. He depended so badly on them, though Harley had no idea why. Leo must feel unstable now without them. Whatever Harley was feeling, Leo must feel much worse.

Harley was the last one to leave the cemetery.

As Harley's thin form drifted off into the distance, six teenagers came out of the shadows, wearing black for the occasion. As they approached the stone, Hazel's sobs could faintly be heard from behind the two hands she used to cover her tear-streaked face. She wasn't the only one crying, for the tear marks could be seen faintly upon everyone's cheeks. They all never knew any of the people personally, but they had great respect for Hephaestus and Ezperanza Valdez. They had heard how they were honest and kind people, always looking out for others.

And to six people who never truly had a family, they sounded wonderful.

They stopped in a perfectly straight line in front of the two monuments, and were silent for a minute in respect. After that minute had passed, Annabeth broke the circle and walked slowly to the monuments. Her eyes scanned the ground in between the two stones, and her eyes lingered on a single spot she found satisfactory.

"Here," she said, breaking the silence.

Frank took that as his cue and transformed into a tiny dog. He ran up to the spot Annabeth indicated, and started to dig. Once he dug a big enough hole, he ran back to his spot in line and changed back into himself. Hazel moved forward towards Annabeth, who was holding a seed in her hand. Annabeth dropped the seed into the hole, which magically covered up with soil as Hazel waved her hands.

All the sudden, it started to rain, Jason obviously being the cause as he held his hands up. Percy waved his hands as he maneuvered some of the water droplets to fall on the small mound of dirt their precious seed currently resided in. Then, when they decided the seed had enough water, Jason cleared the sky with a wave of his hand.

Piper, being the only one left who hadn't done her part, walked forward and knelt down before the mound of dirt. She started to speak, her voice washing over all of them like sunlight.

"You want to grow, little seed. You want to become a big, beautiful tree. You want to reach up and touch the sky."

As Piper spoke, a little sapling forced its way out of the dirt. It started to grow larger, and its stem hardened and became a trunk. Branches grew out in all directions. Soon, a massive tree was towering over the two monuments.

Suddenly, flowers started to sprout on the branches. Little pink flowers. The six gazed in awe as the entire tree was soon covered in little pink cherry blossoms.

"You were right," Piper said to Annabeth, "Cherry trees are the most beautiful trees in the world."

"Well, when am I ever wrong?"

A few of them chuckled. Then, they all linked arms, staring at their beautiful creation.

Harley walked down the dark hallways in the castle. The castle seemed even lonelier than usual. Harley thought he was depressed before. It was nothing compared to now.

He was heading to his room. He needed to sleep. He would do _anything _by now to rid him of all these horrible thoughts. As he walked towards his room, he passed by his brother's. He stopped, and stared at the flame-patterned door. He could hear faint sobbing from behind it.

In a bold move, Harley stepped towards it, and knocked a message in Morse Code.

_Hello._

Harley, like all those many years ago, began to sing.

_"Leo?_

_Please I know you're in there."_

The sobbing suddenly stopped, then began once again with renewed vigor. Harley pressed his hand to the door.

_"People have been asking where you've been"_

That was perfectly true. Harley had been faced with the question multiple times, and each time he had painfully said that Leo was still at the castle, mourning his dead parents. Harley wasn't even sure if it was the truth at the time, but he would rather die than intentionally shame his brother.

_"They say, "Have courage."_

_And I'm trying to._

_I'm right out here for you._

_Just let me in."_

Harley knew that he was probably wasting his time. Leo just wouldn't let him in. He wouldn't even talk to Harley. However, Harley kept singing.

_"We only have each other."_

Harley's voice cracked slightly at these words, but he didn't stop.

_"It's just you and me._

_What are we going to do?_

For Harley had no idea. He didn't want Leo to come up with a solution to this problem by himself. Harley just didn't want to find the solution alone, like he had for almost his entire life.

Harley, in desperation, said the simple words that had failed him so many times, and were going to fail him once again.

_"Do you wanna build a fire?"_

Harley didn't want to build a fire at all. The only thing he wanted to build was the friendship between himself and his brother. It was all he wanted.

He had lost all hope. There was none left now. Sparky was long gone. The song had gone all the way from being so hopeful and happy to what it was now.

Harley realized he didn't want hope. He wanted to be happy. He wanted just one bit of happiness he could call his own.

But he couldn't be happy. Not without Leo.

_I don't need Sparky, _Harley thought.

Harley remembered, a long time ago, when Leo was teaching him Latin. Leo's Latin was a bit rough as well, so he was teaching himself as well as his brother. They had stumbled upon one bright and cheerful word.

"Festus?" Leo sent a questioning look at Harley, "It sounds just like our Papi's name, huh? Maybe his real name is Festus!"

They had laughed for a long time after that, musing over the word. They had even more fun at dinner as they repeatedly called their father "Festus", much to his annoyance.

_I don't need Sparky, _Harley repeated in his mind, _I need Festus._

Harley sighed, sitting down on the floor with his back to Leo's closed door.

_I need Leo._

Harley felt a hand close on his own, and let out a gasp. He looked down at his hand, and saw that through the crack underneath the door, a gloved hand managed to reach far enough to grasp Harley's fingertips. Harley immediately pressed his hand closer to the crack underneath the door, and the two brothers were able to hold each other's hands.

Leo knew that he shouldn't be doing this. His father had specifically told him not to. But Leo needed some kind of outlet. His room had not proved to be a very good one.

His bed was smoking, for it had previously been on fire. The walls were lined with burn marks, and toys lay in random places on the floor, either melted or burnt to a crisp.

His brother proved to be a much better outlet.

_Just this once, _Leo told himself firmly, _One moment of weakness, and then that's it._

Together, the two brother's mourned over their loss.

**I checked this chapter over twice for you guys! You deserve it! You actually deserve more, BUT I'M NOT THAT GOOD!**

**And now, to fulfill a promise.**

**awesometacos: I am glad this is not cheesy! I was going for this not to be cheesy. This IS a HOO fanfic, however, so you should probably brace yourself for horrible cheesiness, as well as terrible puns.**

**Amber Ember7: XD**

**IVXLCDM: Man, you have a complicated name! I don't really read a lot of crossovers, but I have managed to stumble across a couple of good ones. You should definitely check them out!  
><strong>**I never really thought about that. Technically, Leo IS an arsonist. But we still all love him!**

**fantasiedreamar: I know. Harley isn't very commonly used, but I just love bromance between them! It is just so sweet!**

**PixelArtyGirl1: ****Who doesn't like Frozen?  
>I mean, besides those people who don't?<br>People should really get more cats. I mean, I have a cat (world's most ultimate "duh") and you are such a lucky person to have THREE!**

**Hibernia12:**** Thank you! And thanks for the constructive crititism. I feel like I don't get enough of that, and I know I DESPERATELY need it! That is why I checked this chapter so many times! I hope it makes up for previous mistakes! I also corrected a few mistakes in chapter 2, so you can check that out if you want!**

**Caleo4eva: ****Thank you so much for believing in me. You really inspired me to do this chapter. I am so glad you like it. And thanks for checking out my other story!  
>YAY! Let's fangirl about Solangelo for a few seconds!<br>*screams loudly for ten seconds*  
>Ok I'm good now!<br>It's March 6th now! Did you get an account? I will be sure to check out your stories! You are automatically being one of my favorite authors! I just can't wait to see what you have in store!**

**PLEASE READ THIS: You know how Anna in Frozen falls in love with Hans and he turns out to be a crazy maniac who tries to kill Elsa?**

**I would say spoiler alert, but by now the entire planet has seen the movie.**

**I need to find out who to pair Harley up with? I need it in order to do the next chapter, for that is when Harley sings 'For the First Time in Forever'.**

**Any ideas? Cause I got none.**

**Don't worry if you don't have any ideas! I don't think there is any cannon Harley ship, but if there is please tell me! I will listen to all your suggestions! Also, any other suggestions on this story would be amazing!**

**YOU ARE AWESOME!**

**Catsrawesome**


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